[ love ]

{Uncharted}

This one goes out to you. :)

Uncharted - Sarah Bareilles

No words, My tears won't make any room for more,
And it don't hurt, like anything I've ever felt before, this is
No broken heart,
No familiar scars,
This territory goes uncharted...

Just me, in a room sunk down in a house in a town, and I
Don't breathe, no I never meant to let it get away from me
Now, too much to hold, everybody wants has to get their hands on gold,
And I want uncharted.
Stuck under this ceiling I made, I can't help but feeling...

I'm going down,
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around,
Like you'll show me where to go,
I'm already out, of foolproof ideas, so don't ask me how
To get started, it's all uncharted...

La la la-a-a-a.
Oh-h-h.

Each day, countin' up the minutes, till I get alone, 'cause I can't stay
In the middle of it all, it's nobody's fault, but I'm
So alone, Never knew how much I didn't know,
Oh, everything is uncharted.
I know I'm getting nowhere, when I only sit and stare like...

I'm going down,
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around,
Like you'll show me where to go,
I'm already out, of foolproof ideas, so don't ask me how
To get started, it's all uncharted.

Jump start my kaleidoscope heart,
Love to watch the colors fade,
They may not make sense,
But they sure as hell made me.

I won't go as a passenger, no
Waiting for the road to be laid
Though I may be going down,
I'm taking flame over burning out

Compare, where you are to where you want to be, and you'll get nowhere

I'm going down,
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around,
Like you'll show me where to go,
I'm already out, foolproof ideas, so don't ask me how
To get started,
Oh-h
I'm going down,
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around,
Like you'll show me where to go,
I'm already out, foolproof ideas, so don't ask me how
To get started, it's all uncharted...
La la la-a-a-a. 

New to photography?

Photographers just starting out! Best advice you can get and I'll give it to ya for FREE, no workshop needed! 

Don't use the on camera flash, at least get a shoe mount, or just be that photographer who loves shooting in natural light:) AND when shooting in natural light there are still rules. If you are shooting a family and half of the family has the sun shining down on them and the other half are in the shade it's going to look a little strange.

Just because you took the photo at an angle does not make it creative, or a good shot. Think about what you are trying to capture. Pay attention to limbs!!! because nobody looks good missing their feet! 

You don't have to take a photography class to learn how to use your camera in the manual mode! Break out that owner's manual and actually read it. or there are a TON of resources on the world wide web, chances are you can google the question and a youtube video tutorial will come up. 

Forget you ever learned selective coloring!!! I know it's seems so awesome and cool at first. It's not. really. it's really, really not. 

Photoshop is a tool for a photographer, but it can't make a bad photo a good one. If it's a bad shot no matter how many actions you use and textures you slap on it, it will still be the same bad photo. maybe even worse now!

If you are really serious about doing this professionally, not just as a hobby, then the number one piece of advice I can give you is to do an internship. Find a photographer in your area that you admire, shoots the style photography you like, and the longer they've been in the business the better. You need someone that can show you the ropes and give you that hands on experience. I swear, it will do wonders for you if you are just starting out. You'll be able to experience the shoots, without the pressure. It's a GREAT place to start!

And last but most definitely not least, if you are shooting with a point and shoot you are not a professional photographer. period. If you truly love photography, have a passion burning inside of you, and you know that this is definitely what you were born to do, then you should want to invest in the equipment necessary to take you there. I'm not saying you have to go into debt to be a photographer. I got my first DSLR for $300 used. I rocked that $300 camera and eventually earned the money to invest into better equipment. 

If you have any comments or questions I'd love to hear from you. I'm all about giving advice to newbies because it wasn't that long ago that I was in your shoes standing right where you are with no clue where to start. I was lucky and I've had some wonderful mentors in the past 4 years. I honestly do not know where I'd be without them. So I like to pay it forward:) If you have a question don't hesitate to ask, hopefully I'll have the answer, if I don't I'm sure I know someone who does:)

Peace + Love + Photography =)

XOXO, 

Carrie Olson Carden

{What Are Words}

I have to say after watching this week's show and now watching this video I definitely think the judges made a big mistake letting this guy go. 

But I don't think it's going to be much more than a bump in the road for him. He has the talent, he'll have a long successful career ahead of him I'm sure.

All that aside I wanted to talk about the song and video itself. Such a beautiful and powerful love song. Knowing the story behind it makes it that much more special.

I love the message. I think people these days take marriage so lightly. Those vows should be way more than just words. It seems now days people are quick to walk away when times get tough. Those are the times you need to pull together the most. 

Thank you Lord for blessing me with such a giving and caring husband. Maybe one day I will understand what I did to deserve someone so wonderful.

Carrie

Justin & Kista {Bold as Love}

One of my favorite things about my job is getting to work with people I grew up with and getting to capture moments in their life now after all these years. I've known Justin since middle school, maybe even grade school. After getting engaged he showed Kista my work and they decided to give me a call. From the moment I started talking to Kista on the phone we just clicked. I felt like I'd known her for years too! She was full of awesome ideas and I love that in clients. So once the day of the shoot arrived I was super excited to see how it would all come together. Plus it was my first time shooting at Fort Pickens in Pensacola, FL and that place is just beautiful. PERFECT for sessions like this:) but between me and Kista we had so many ideas that we ran out of time the first night! I seriously could have went on forever with these two. They are crazy about each other and it really shines through so beautifully in these images. After day two of shooting we were finally finished and I could not have been happier with the outcome. Meet Justin and Kista.

this one is an all time personal fave! I call it "across the universe"

Words cannot express how much I enjoyed working on this session from start to finish! Kista, you are a sweetheart and you are going to be one gorgeous Bride! Justin, I'm so glad you sent Kista my way, and I am so happy I get to be there to witness such a special day in your life. After working with the two of you on this engagement session I cannot wait for your wedding this July!!! I know it will be one beautiful event and I'm excited to see it all come together on the big day! See you guys soon:)

xoxo,

Carrie Olson Carden

needs to be said.

One thing I've noticed since starting photography is a lot of other people start photography. It seems like being a photographer is the new black sometimes. but I say the more the merrier! With Facebook and Twitter taking over most of our lives I don't think there will be a shortage of folks needing good photos to post as their "profile picture." :)

But some others don't agree with me. In fact some people, mostly women I've found, will go so far as having a blog dedicated to posting images, from what they consider to be wanna be photogs, and make fun of them. Don't get me wrong, it can be funny. Some people really have no idea what they're doing. But someone liked it, someone hired them, and honestly they are the only ones who have a right to say anything about it.

We all started somewhere. I know when I look back at the photos I edited when I first started learning Photoshop I'm completely embarrassed! But you live and learn. I was lucky enough to have an internship working with some great people when I first started out. and luckily they were nice enough to come to me privately and give me advice. "Hey, selective coloring is not as cool as you think."  :)  

I honestly thought those photos were great at one day in time. I was putting my heart and soul into what I was shooting with my little Canon Rebel and kit lens. I learned the "what not to do's" pretty quickly working with someone who had already been in the business for a few years. Who knows, I might still be shooting with the on camera flash had I not worked with Ryan that summer. Even with his gentle criticism I still left with hurt feelings a little. but I understood he was only telling me these things about my photos to help me be a better photographer. I can't even begin to imagine what it would have felt like if someone had taken one of those photos and posted them on a blog making fun of my inexperience. I might have walked away from the camera for good. I can't imagine how much that would hurt. I get down if I don't get "good" comments about what I post, much less if I was made into a joke. A joke that all the other photographers pass around and jump in and make fun of too. 

I say this is a complete waste of time and energy, and any energy you spend trying to tear people down will only turn on you in the end. You get what you give, so you better give good. There are enough clients to go around. So who cares if that girl you know just bought a camera yesterday and is going around calling herself a professional photographer? Don't you think clients will see through that? and let's go even one better, what if you were confident enough in your work that you could go welcome her and help her, teach her some things? When you say something unkind about someone else you are only making yourself look insecure. I know a lot of people who consider themselves to be "good people" yet they constantly talk about what everyone else is doing wrong. And for the hundredth time these new photographers who don't charge much aren't hurting anyone but themselves, so don't worry about what they are getting paid. I am so tired of hearing people talk about that. Everyone is working for themselves and they have to pay their own bills at the end of the month so they can charge whatever they want!!! 

I wish we could all just come together and build each other up. I wish it wasn't a competition. I wish it was just about making art. There are no rules in art. If it makes one person happy it's worth it. Quit giving out your opinion when it's not asked for, and when it is just try to be kind. You can give advice without being mean. and who knows, you just might feel a little better about yourself.

Carrie

a work in progress....

will I ever be more?

hopefully not;)

2010 was an interesting year for me. I learned a lot about myself as a photographer. I was in this funk. I was working, but not enjoying it as much as I used to. I got really down. I can't believe I have my dream job and I'm STILL not happy? I had to make a change. One thing I have heard over and over in my 3 years in the photography business is to find what you love to shoot and find what sets you a part from everyone else and go with it. You can be okay at everything or really GREAT at one thing. Does that make sense? So what do I love to shoot, where do I think my strengths are, what really sets me on fire..... it's definitely without a doubt shooting people in love. I love Wedding Photography. This really freaks some photographers out. I have heard many times from them WHY? and the answer is: I have no clue? Maybe I'm an adrenaline junkie. I just love the fast pace! and of course all the beautiful flowers:) No.. really...I love it. I love seeing the Bride nervous with anticipation, but also glowing with the happiness of living out something she's been dreaming of since she was a little girl. I love seeing (and meeting) all the family and friends that come together to witness such a special occasion. You meet people from all over the country! and for the most part everyone is always in a really great mood. What's not to love? The one thing that I love the most though is knowing that I'm doing  something that really matters. These photos will be passed down through the years, to children, and then grandchildren. These photos will out last me. When I'm gone a piece of me will go on in every photo I took. That really means a lot to me. 

I never thought I would be a photographer in the first place. This was something I just kinda ended up doing because I loved taking pictures of my son Jackson. I just found myself taking photos of flowers and trees and everything else under the sun, and I realized I really loved it. I wanted to get back to that feeling. For a while I had lost that passion. I knew I had to find what I really loved about this business and just go for it. Now I'm not saying I will NEVER do any other kind of photography. I have too many wonderful, faithful, tried and true clients that have supported me from the beginning to just say "sorry you'll have to find someone else." I will definitely still do all different kinds of portrait photography, it will just be on a limited basis. Some months I may not be able to take on other shoots if I already have quite a few weddings booked. I just want to be able to devote all the time I can to my Brides. With Wedding Photography, or at least for me, it's a process. From the first meeting until the actual wedding date I will have meet with and talked with the Bride many, many times. I want to get to know them, find out who they are, and what kind of wedding photos they are envisioning in their head. I feed off of those ideas and try my best to bring them to life. It's really cool to watch how it all comes together on the big day after you've talked about it for so long. I just really enjoy the whole process and I want to devote as much time as I can to making myself the best Wedding Photographer I can be. So that's why I've made the choice to specialize in Wedding and Engagement Photography. If you would like to book a session that is not Engagement or Wedding related please by all means still contact me, I'm sure we can set something up somewhere along the line, even if it's not right away.


So that is why there have been some changes to the website and blog, and me:) I'm happy to be starting this new chapter and I look forward to where it takes me.

Carrie Olson Carden